Brong Ahafo Region is to record one of the major bumper harvests of crops this season. The mid-year targets for the major season of maize, cassava, plantain, cocoa, yam, rice and tomatoes has been achieved.

While speaking in an interview with Dr R.S. Oppong-Yeboah, Tano District Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), he intoned with confidence that the minor season yet to be harvested, “there is the likelihood of exceeding our target for this year.”

Dr Oppong-Yeboah, said out of 74.7 metric tones of plantain 46.7 metric tones was achieved as at June while 85.2 metric tones out of 187.6 metric tones was reduced for cassava within the same period. As for maize, he said the target was 52.5 metric tones of which the three quarter has already been achieved and it was likely to exceed the real target. The target for tomatoes was 52.2 metric tones and as at June, 37.2 had been reduced, with rice nearer to the target of 3.5 metric tones. According to the District Director what has accounted for the bumper harvest was the adequate and evenly distribution of rainfall this year as well as a reduction in bush burning.

Dr. Oppong-Yeboah also attributed the situation to farmers’ willingness to heed to the advice of Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs) to use round-up improved seeds row planting and planning together with stakeholders. He explained that the AEAs were the local point through which technology transfer was sent to the farmers for the production of maize, plantain, cassava, oil palm and cocoa. However, the District Director was quick to correct the misconception that all was well whenever there was a bumper harvest. “But there is a problem which needs all hands on deck. We have a lot more to do with post harvest losses,” he emphasized. He therefore, stressed the need for proper storage and said at the Tano District storage facilities were being constructed. While waiting for prices, Dr Oppong-Yeboah, suggested that farmers could be given inventory credit.

He was happy that through the Tano District Village Infrastructure Project (VIP) the Assembly were upgrading and constructing markets to address the problems of marketing centers, all geared towards reducing post harvest losses.